Suction cleaner



- March 2, 1937. WHITAKER 2,072,696

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 50, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTO RN EY Mari-h 2, 1937. u. A. WH ITAKER SUCTION CLEANER Filed Dec. 30. 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR (fracas H. ZV/zL'Za/fiw:

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 2, 1937 sUo'rroN cummn Uncas A. Whitaker, Canton} Ohio, assignor to I The Hoover Company, North Canton, Ohio, at

corporation oi Ohio Application December so, 1933. Serial No. 704,636

lzciaiml.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved suction cleaner. It is another object of the invention to provide a suction cleaner. of the convertible type adapted for both on-the-floor cleaning and oif-the-floor is cleaning, the conversion of the cleaner from one unit to the other resulting in a modiflcationof its suction-producing power. A still further object is the provision of a suction cleaner in which permanent valves are incorporated for the purpose of determining the functional operation of the machine, means being combined with the func- I tion-altering means which change the speed of cleaner motor rotation to effect higher suctions when the machine is used as an oif-the-floor v unit. Still another object is the provision of a suction cleaner in which the conversion of the machine from an on-the floor cleaner to an offthe-fioor cleaner results inhigher motor speed and in the production of greatensuction. These and other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon considering in connection therewith the attached drawings to which they relate.

Referring now to the drawings in which the I same reference characters refer to the same parts throughout:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a modern suction cleaner equipped with the present invention, certain parts being broken away;

Figure 2 is a partial section through-the clean- 4 er shown in Figure '1, being takenupon the line 2-.-2 of Figure '1;

Figure 3 is asection through a portion of the cleaner, being taken upon the lineJ3-3 of Figure2; I Y v Figure 4 is a diagrammatic showing of the electrical circuit of the cleaner; I 4

Figure 5 is a-section vupon the line ure 5: V a

Figure -'7 is a partial section through a cleaner embodying a second preferred embodiment of the invention. being taken upon the line 1- -1 of Figure 6 is a section upon the line 6-8 of Fig- Figure 8 is a partial section through the bottom of, the second modification of the invention.

'The modern suction cleaner is a unit adapted for use in cleaning surface coverings or articles positioned above that covering. In operation as 5 an on-the-floor unit when cleaning coverings reliance is placed upon an agitzitingmember, in combinationwith the moving air, to remove the embedded foreign matter in the covering. When used in ofi-the-floor cleaning the aforementioned 10 agitating member is unused and the suction created by the machine is made available at a point spaced from the cleaner proper by means of a dusting tool which is connected to the unit, and in particular to the suction-creating means '15 thereof. When used in on-the-floor cleaning it is not desirable that the suction in the cleaner nozzle exceed a definite limit because of the-presence of the surface covering agitator. In the use of the cleaner in off-the-fioor cleaning, however, no limitations need be placed upon the degree of suction and a higher suction is desirable. In a suction cleaner constructed in accordance with the present invention, the conversion of the machine from, an on-the-floor cleaner to an oil- 25 the-floor cleaner automatically results in greater suction for use in the dusting tools than was available for use-in the cleaner nozzle in on-thefloor cleaning.

Referring again to the drawings; and Figures 0 1 to 6 inclusive in particular, a preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed. A modern cleaner is disclosed which is seen to comprise a nozzle I, afan chamber 2, and exhaust outlet 3, and a motor casing 4 which is positioned imme- -35 d'iateiy above the fan chamber. The nozzle I is interiorly connected to the inlet 5 of the fan chamber 2 by-means of an air passagewayi. The cleaning .air drawn between the surface-contacting nozzle lips I and 8 traverses this passage- 40 way 6 in response to the suction created by the rotating fan 9 carried by the extended motor shaft ll within chamber 2. The air after entering the fan chamber 2 is exhausted. through the chamber exhaust outlet into the connected dust 45 bag I I of the usual type.

Within the-nozzle i is the rotatably mounted agitator l2 comprising an elongated-body carrying surface-contacting rigid beater elements and flexible brush elements. Agitator I2 is rotated 50 by means of a belt i3 which extends through the air passageway ,6 and connects to a driving pulley I4 carried at the extreme lower end .of the motor shaft Hi. In the cleaning operation the agitator l2 cooperates with the air stream. entering th .ls

nozzle I by dislodging the embedded foreign matter in the surface covering which is then carried away by-the air and deposited in the dust bag I I. .As in the usual suction cleaner front and rear 5 supporting wheels I5, I5 and I6, I6 are provided which support the nozzle I above the surface covering undergoing cleaning and permit of the easy movement of the cleaner over the covering. The usual pivoted handle I1 is provided which is connected to the body of the machine and provides means by which the operator can propel the machine. The incoming power leads l8, I8 to the cleaner motor extend down the handle I1 and tothe motor of the machine in the usual manner, one of the leads first passing through a manually operable handle switch iii of the usual type, shown diagrammatically in Figure 4. The parts described comprise the entire cleaner construction necessary for on-the-floor cleaning. They comprise the usual and well known cleaner and no invention is claimed in their general arrangement or specific construction except as hereinafter disclosed.

In order to convert the machine to an off-thefloorv cleaner the air passageway 5 adjacent the eye 5 of the fan chamber is provided with an inlet 20 from which extends a transverse conduit 2!. Conduit 2I is provided with a spring-pressed detent 22 which is adapted to cooperated with a 39 groove 23 on the inner end of a dusting tool hose 24 to lock and retain removably the hose in place in the conduit. The dusting-tool hose 24 is of a common and well known type including a flexible conduit which is adapted to be connected to a 5 usual nozzle at its outer end. The inlet 28, is normally closed in the operation of the machine in on-the-floor cleaning by a pivoted valve 25 which is normally held in inlet-closing position by a coil spring 26. The valve 25 is opened upon 40 the insertion of the dusting tool hose 24 by means of a plunger 21 connected to the valve which is contacted .by the end of the hose as it is moved inwardly to its seat. The valve is shown in the open position in dotted lines in Figure 2, where 45 it is held as long as the dusting tool hose is seated way 6, being pivoted at the top thereof and being provided with a cutaway section 29 of minimum 55 size to permit the passage of the driving belt I3. Valve 28 is directly connected i to valve 25 by means ofa link 38 and a rigidarm 3| on the valve 25. With the valve 25 held in the closed po-' sition by the spring 26 the arm 3| is pivoted to 60 the position shown in full lines in Figure 2 and valve 28 is held upwardly against the top of the air passageway 6 in its open position by the link 30., With the valve 25 moved to the open position, shown-in dotted lines in Figure 2, the arm 5 3| is moved from the valve 28, see dotted line showing in Figure 2, and that member is pivoted to its'clo sed position, as shown in dotted lines in Figure f 1 'I 'he two valves are fixedly. connected and when one valve is open the other valve is 70 shut, and vicesversa.

. The,mov'eme t ofthe valves results not only in the connectikof a new source of air flow to the suction-creating fan and fan chamber, but also results in greater speed of rotation of the I 7'5 motor and consequently of the fan 9 carried,

thereby. To acomplish this result the pivotal shaft 32 of the valve 28 is extended outwardly through the side wall of the air passageway 6 and is provided with a portion at right angles to'the axis of the. shaft. A plunger member 33 of insulating material is carried by an insulating housing 35 on the cleaner casing and extends into contact with this right angle end of the pivotal shaft 32. Plunger 33 is capable of limited sliding a portion of a field winding of the cleaner motor,'-

as clearly shown diagrammatically in Figure 4.

The relationship between the contacts 36, 31, the.

plunger 33, and the right angle end of the shaft 32, is such that with the valve 28 in the open position, that is the position in which it would be with the cleaner functioning as an on-the-floor unit, the end of shaft 32 does not-contact the plunger 33 and the plunger is in its outermost position and the two contacts 36 and 3.1 are separated. With the valve 28 pivoted to its passageway-closing position, its position when the machine is used in oif-the.-fioor cleaning, the end of the shaft 32 has contacted the plunger 33, and has urged and moved it inwardly forcing the contact 31 against contact 36.

As is clearly seen in Figure 4 the resistance R,- .is in parallel with a portion of the motor field winding and upon its inclusion in the motor circuit the armature of the motor rotates at higher speed. The desirable result of rotating the fan 9 at higher speed is thus seen to be accomplished.

Referring now to Figures 7 and 8 a second preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed. In this embodiment the general construction of the cleaner is exactly that described in connection with the first embodiment. In this construction, however, the valves which control the direction of air flow in the cleaner are not automatically operated by the dusting tool hose upon its connectionor uponits removal. The

dusting tool hose 24 again seats within the conduit 2| and is retained therein as before by the cooperation of the spring-pressed detent 22 and the shouldered groove 23. The plunger 21 of the first embodiment, together with the coil spring 26, have been omitted. In their place a manually operable slide member 48 has been provided which is carried by the insulated housing 35 which seats the contacts 36, 31. The inner end of plunger 48-extends-adjacent the end of the shaft 32 of the valve 28 and slidingly incloses an off-center projection 4| thereon. A spring-pressed ball detent 42 cooperates with spaced seats 43, 43 andiunctions to retain releasably the slide 48 in either an inner or outer position, as clearly shown in Figures 7 and 8.

With the slide or actuator 40 in the inner position, or that shown in dotted lines in the'flgures, the oifset' endof the shaft 32 has been rotated counter-clockwise and the valve 28 has. been moved to its upper position. The two valves '25 and 28 are connected as in the first embodi- .moved to its rearward position, that. shown in 1. In a suction cleaner, suction-producing means, means to vary the suction produced by said suction-producing means, an air inlet, a second air inlet, means to connect selectively said inlets to said suction-producing means, and a single means to actuate said suction-varying means and said connecting means in a predetermined relationship.

2. In a suction cleaner, suction-producing means, means to vary the suction produced by said suction-producing means, a floor nozzle, a dusting tool conduit, means to connect .selectively said nozzle or said conduit to said suctionproducing means, means interconnecting said connecting means and said suction-varying means for synchronous adjustment, and means to operate said connecting means and said suction-varying means.

3. In a suction cleaner,' suction-producing means including a motor having a plurality of circuits for. multi-speed operation, a nozzle, 9. dusting tool conduit, means to connect selectively said nozzle or said conduit to said suctionproducing means, and means to close automatically certain of said motor-circuits to cause saidmotor to rotate at high speed upon the connection' of said conduit to said suction-producing means. I I

4. The construction recited in claim 3 characterized in that the last mentioned means alter the electrical circuit of said cleaner motor upon connection of said nozzle to said suction-producing means.

5. In a suction cleaner, suction-producing means, means to vary the suction produced by said suction-producing means, an'air inlet, a second air inlet, means to connect selectively said inlets to said suction-producing means, and

means to actuate said suction-varying means and said connecting means, characterized in that said actuating means are manually operable ble by the connection of a dusting tool unit to said second inlet to operate said suction-varying and said connecting means to connect said suction-producing means to said second air inlet.

7. In a suction cleaner; a suction-creating fan, a multi-speed driving motor for said fan, an air inlet, a second air inlet, means to connect selectively said inlets to saidfan, and means operating with said last mentioned means to cause said motor to rotate at one speed when said fan is connected to said first air inlet and at a higher speed when said fan is connected to said second inlet.

to be connected to said body, and cooperating means on said unit and on said body to alter said motor circuit to vary the motor speed upon the alteration of said cleaner for ofi-the-floor cleaning.

9. In a suction cleaner adapted for on-thefloor cleaning and for oiI-the-fioor cleaning, suction-producing means, means to convert said cleaner from an on-the-floor unit to an off-thefloor unit, means to vary the suction produced by said suction-producing means, and single manually operable means to control said two last-mentioned means.

10. The construction recited in claim 9 characterized in that said manually operable means comprises a movable lever connected to said means to convert said cleaner.

11.In a suction cleaner adapted for on-thefloor cleaning and for ofi-the-floor cleaning, suction-producing means including a motor having relatively high and low speed circuits, a nozzle connected to said suction-producing means, a dusting tool inlet connected to said suction-producing means, valve means to open and close selectively said nozzle and said inlet to said suction-producing means, a switch controlling said circuits, and means interconnecting said switch and said valve means to effect actuation of the former upon adjustment of the latter.

' 12. In a suction cleaner, the combination of suction producing means including a motor having relatively high and low speed circuits, a

nozzle normally communicating with said suction 

